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Wednesday, January 31, 2018

"I Don’t Have A Heart Disease" – Fani-Kayode

FORMER Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-kayode has denied having a heart disease as reported by some news portals.

While
describing the report as false, the former minister said what he had
was a “heart-related ailment,” and not a “heart disease,” saying there
is a world of difference between the two.

FFK as he is fondly
called made this clarification in a statement signed by his Senior
Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Obiageli Nwachukwu, and seen by
HEADLINE.He also said that he will be presenting a medical report to the court at a later date.

“It
has been brought to our attention that the Punch Newspaper of 31st
January 2018 has reported, in a blazing and sensational headline, that
the former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, “has heart
disease”. This is false.

“It is only in the world of the reporter
of the Punch Newspaper that a “heart-related ailment” has suddenly
become “heart disease,” the statement partly read.

HEADLINE had report how the courtroom broke into laughter when it was informed of the indisposition.

Mr.
Fani-Kayode, who was absent in court, and Nenadi Usman, a former
minister of state for finance, are facing a 17-count of money laundering
amounting to N4.6 billion.

Also joined as a defendant is Yusuf
Danjuma, a former National Chairman of the Association of Local
Government of Nigeria (ALGON) and Jointrust Dimensions Nigeria Limited.

When the case was called, only Usman and Danjuma stepped into the dock.

Before lawyers announced their appearances, Justice Rilwan asked why Fani-Kayode was not present.

Kayode’s
lawyer Mr. Norrison Quakers (SAN) told Justice Rilwan Aikawa that the
former minister complained about “heart-related ailment” and could not
make it to court for his trial.

The courtroom then broke into a
suppressed laughter after he made the complaint insisting that the
former minister’s illness should be taken seriously due to recent cases
of heart-related deaths.

“It is not a laughing matter.

“They
said he was complaining of a heart-related pain. We have seen recent
cases of heart-related deaths. On Friday, a lawyer collapsed and died
while addressing the court,” Mr. Quakers, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria,
said, as his colleagues and their clients struggled to hush their laugh.

He
continued, “The second defendant is unusually absent in court today as a
result of a health challenge which information was relayed to me by the
wife.

“In that regard, I have requested for a medical report and
hoping that same will get to me before the close of work because the
second defendant lives and carries out his business outside the
jurisdiction of this court, in Abuja.

“My humble application is for us to come back tomorrow so I can furnish the court with the medical report,” Quakers said.

The former minister’s absence stalled his trial for an alleged money laundering.

Rotimi Oyedepo, counsel to the EFCC, did not oppose the application.

But
he reminded the court of the provisions of Section 396(d) of the
Administration of Criminal Justice Act which stipulates that both the
prosecution and defence are entitled to not more than five adjournments
each during a trial.

“They have taken two now,” Mr. Oyedepo added.

Oyedepo’s
position also forced FFK to insist that this was the first and only
time he has been absent from proceedings or asked for an adjournment
from the learned judge.